Forced together via marriage

Yup, this is a post about in laws - I've heard the saying that you inherit another family when you get married whether you like it or not. Plus you're forced to spend time with each other regardless of whether you've made friends or not. I did not grow up with Step siblings so I can only imagine the stress of moving in with a ready made family or inheriting a ready made family as such.

I must say that I've found blending with DH's side of the family extremely stressful. They are nice enough but I feel like if I had never met DH, I would never have been part of their Universe due to differences in interests, personality etc. Today, my MIL kindly offered to look after the girls whilst I did my BOSU course today - unfortunately we got our wires crossed - she thought I was coming back an hour and a half earlier than I had thought I had mentioned - however nothing was specifically said, only implied and I was left with a sense that I'd done something terribly wrong, only I wasn't sure. I mentioned this to DH who then phoned his parents who told him the error - then, angry he phoned me - to which then I took the bull by the horns, phoned them and apologized profusely for the error -I thought I had told them that I would be later.... only I just wished they'd mentioned it when I turned up - would have saved me a lot of indigestion. :(

Anyway, there's always a lot of unease around DH's family - I know they think my passion for all things fitness is a little bit weird but I have to tread my own path and realize that not everyone has to like me, just as I don't like everyone either.

The BOSU course was great though - DOMS is beginning to set into my thighs and my abs and I'm looking forward to waking up tomorrow knowing that I did something worthwhile..

Other workout today: 2 x Spinervals "sets" 30 minutes

BOSU madness!

Today's workout involved a mixture of traditional strength training and BOSU work, as per the course work we have for the "Core" program.

My workout went like this:

Warm up: rower

Prefatigue quad workout: leg extensions, then squats as a superset...ouch!

Prefatigue chest workout: flyes then incline bench press as a superset, double ouch! Teamed with BOSU plank pushups, triple ouch!

Bicep workout: Barbell curls followed up by hammer curls.

Then 5 minutes on the bike - Tabata intervals (puke worthy ouch!)

BOSU hamstring/glute work (feel the burn)

5 minutes Tabata intervals (double puke worthy ouch)

BOSU hamstring/glute work (variations)

10 mins escalating intensity on elliptical

BOSU abdominal work

10 minute steady state elliptical (I was running out of gas by this stage and it was all I could muster)

BOSU back extension work.

Thoracic BOSU stretch (aaaahhhhh!)

It was higgeldy piggeldy, but it was quite a workout!

I had energy to burn I guess as we went out for tapas last night and I indulged in some lemon tart for dessert. I haven't had this for yonks and enjoyed every mouthful.

We are now off to take the girls bowling. Should be fun!

Spoiled by DH

It's our 11th Wedding Anniversary today and DH has spoiled me rotten with a Tag Heuer watch. I really wasn't expecting anything as we have been hit and miss over the years with our Anniversary and gifts - someone's been sick or at work etc and things just have never gone to plan. My parents in law visited us in Woop Woop last year to babysit so we could go out ...only the problem was, there was nowhere for us to go, unless you count the vegetable free pub in Banana, yuck.

Anyway I was just blown away by this gift. I have to get the wrist strap adjusted, but I'm going to look great with my watch on one arm and my heart rate monitor on the other.

Speaking of heart rate monitors, I wore mine for training this morning which consisted of:

4 x 1 km repeats - 2 at 5 min k's and 2 at sub 5 min k's which I was rather chuffed with.
Then it was onto the Prefatigue workout - 5 exercises in total which doesn't look like much, but sure packed a punch. Plus I have the most amazing hamstring DOMS from Mike McSweeney's Core course, which was really interesting. I have plenty of practice to do on the BOSU but I'm confident of eventually nailing all of the moves, some which require a lot of balance and core strength/stability, which unfortunately is not my strongest suit. However I find doing things I don't "like" initially turns me into a convert once I'm done!

My place in the sun!

This is one of my photos from Jadey last October wearing my beautiful Lorna Jane threads! Brisbane has been dreary and raining, quite the opposite of "Beautiful One Day, Perfect the Next". Seriously, compared with Woop Woop it really is paradise!

Today I met one of my clients who is competing in the INBA comp in October - we trained legs together and I showed her a few of my little "Liz surprises". I doubt I will be able to walk in a straight line tomorrow and if she doesn't have DOMS either, I shall be quite miffed! It was great fun and really motivating to push each other hard. Usually I'm very much a "by myself" trainer in the gym and this was an excellent change of pace.

I then had to teach Bodystep at North Quay to a packed out class of three people. These classes are just as valuable as the big ones - you are forced to "connect" with your participants and to really inspire, coach and motivate. I filled in a little time with some walking treadmill cardio and there was a preview of Mike McSweeney's CORE program which is rolling out in Fitness First around the country. I am booked in to do the training for this in early August - the class revolves around the use of the BOSU and I am looking forward to it immensely.

Then it was home to take the girls to dancing, cook dinner, contact clients and now go to bed!

I know I'll be sleeping well tonight!